Composting season: What happens to the food and yard waste in your green bin?
SPOKANE, Wash. — It’s that time of year again for the City to pick up your green bin, but what actually happens to all of that food and yard waste?
The City of Spokane’s solid waste management department said after it gets picked up, it’s taken to a commercial composting facility.
From there, it takes about 90 days for it to process into compost for landscapers and farmers to order and use for soil.
The City said this process of waste management is much better for the environment.
Compost helps return nutrients to the soil and helps plants better absorb those nutrients.
“It’s so much better than sending it to a landfill where it generates methane gas or to the waste energy plant where there’s just no BTU value with burning organics,” said Education Coordinator for Spokane’s Solid Waste Management Dept. Kris Major.
Major said you can also make your own compost.
You can have your own bin in the backyard, an indoor worm bin or even a bokashi bucket.
The City’s green curbside cart service only runs from March through November.
This is because a large portion of the waste collected is yard waste and there isn’t as much of it in the winter months.
RELATED: Spokane’s curbside yard and food waste collection resumes
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